Extract: Brazil is flexing its economic muscle more than ever before. As well as hanging on to its young stars for longer periods, it has a newfound ability to attract big names such as Clarence Seedorf and Diego Forlan. Consequently, the results have come on the pitch and the last three Libertadores have been won by Brazilian teams.

The force driving this success is the myriad of investors who are bankrolling the clubs. Part ownership of players by third parties has become the norm. It’s a set-up that can be baffling, and at times chaotic – and has also made some transfer deals extremely complicated. While frowned upon in Europe, it’s a business model that has developed out of necessity in Brazil …

Good thing, too. Look at what happens when these scrawny Brazilian kids go to Europe. They take steroids, lose a step, and are never the same. Just look at the last batch of meninos da vila Santos produced, Robinho… bulked up and we haven’t seen him since.